The mysteries of Carnac

Carnac, with its 3,000 megaliths rising up from the moor, is one of the most renowned and magical sites in Brittany.

In Celtic, karn means ‘rock' or ‘stone', and approximately six kilometres from the famous beach of the chic seaside resort of Carnac, in Morbihan, stand the town's famous eponymous alignments: 3,000 megaliths which seem to spring from the moor in kilometre-long rows.

According to experts, who are still unsure of their meaning, these very mysterious standing stones were erected between 5000 and 3000 BCE. Different hypotheses are presented in the site's Prehistory Museum. But getting lost among the Carnac menhirs is by far the best way to put your finger on the magic of the place. The alignments of Menec, Kermario, and Kerlescan, the impressively giant menhir Manio, 6.5 metres high, and the mound of Saint-Michel, are undeniably the most fascinating.